Electrode-holder.



F. T. SNYDER.

ELECTRODE-HOLDER.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 19. 1917.

1,254,080. Patented Jan. 22, 1918.

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FEEDEEIGK it. SNYDER, Q35 GAE PARK, ILLIEQIS.

ELEGTRODE=HLDER.

specification of Letters Patent.

Patented titanm iltlilde Application filed. fieptember 1.9, 1917. Berta]! Ito. maria To all whom it may concern."

Be it known that l, FREDERICK T. SNYDER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Oak Park, in the county of Cook and State oi Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in ElectrodeHolders, of which the following is a full, clear, consine, and exact description.

. This invention relates to improvements in electric furnaces and more particularly to electrode holders adapted for use in connection therewith.

There are two types of electrode holdersnow extensively used in the art, top holders and side holders. The present invention relates more particularly to side holders.

'Heretofore the principal objection to the use of side holders has been the difficulty with which a good electrical contact between the holder and the electrode is secured owing to the unevenness of the surface of the latter. If the contact is not a good one, the holder becomes hot and may even be burned. While electrodes are designed to be straight throughout their lengths, round in cross section and smooth over their entire surfaces, they are not supplied to the trade in this form. On the other hand, their surfaces are generally uneven owing to their having been subjected to erosion from some cause or other; furthermore, they are also oftentimes warped and irregular in cross section, hence the dificlculty in securing a good electrical contact with side gripping holders. Elhciency of course demands a good contact between the electrode and the holder, even if the holder be water cooled, for although the water cooling may prevent the holder from becoming excessively hot, the heat developed is at the expense of electrical energy. Then, too, a had contact is likely to cause the electrode itself to become overheated adjacent the holder, thereby causing a serious deterioration of said electrode. Furthermore, excessive heat from the electrode may cause a water cooled holder to crack or break thereby causing considerable damage and necessitating a replacement or the holder.

An object of the present invention is to provide an electrode holder or the type de scribed which may be readily and quickly adjusted into clamping engagement with the sides of an electrode and which whenadjusted will therewith.

Another objectis to provide an electrode provide a good electricalcontact holder of the type described which shall comprise a plurality of movable "riping blocks capable of adjusting thems elii ies to the irregularities of an electrode as the same are moved into clamping engagement therewith. A further object is the provision of means whereby said pivoted gripping blocks may be moved into and out of clamping engagement with the electrode at a point distant therefrom.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with. the accompanying drawings wherein the preferred embodiment of theinvention is illustrated.

Figure l is a top plan view partly-in section of an electrode holder constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a section on line 2-2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a section on line 3-3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of an electric furnace showing an electrode holder applied thereto.

Fig. 5 is a front view of one of the gripping blocks, and

Fig. 6 is a detail view.

Referring more in detail to the drawings, an electric furnace is illustrated in Fig. land is shown provided with an electrode supporting crane l, by means of which adjustment of the electrode within the furnace may be edected, said crane being raised and lowered by means of a hand wheel 2 and its associated rack and pinion mechanismfi. The electrode is illustrated at l and is shown held at the end of the horizontal arm 5 of the crane, said electrode projecting downwardly therefrom into the furnace through a suitable opening in the roof thereof.

The construction. at the outer end of the horizontal arm 5 will now he described in order to .point out more clearly'the manner in which the electrode is gripped and held in its predetermined adjusted position, ref erence being had more particularly tic-Figs.

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longitudinally extending members 6, fsaidchannel member 7 being bolted or othei ivisev rigidly secured in position. A second tran'sversely disposed channel member is illustrated at 82nd is shown mounted intermediate the ends of the members 8, said channel member 8 being alsorigidly secured in position by means of bolts or other suitable lass toning. means. lit will thus lie-noted that a four-sided box or frame is provided at the outer end of the horizontally disposed arm of the crane. Slidably mounted within the channels of the side members 6 and disposed transversely across the frame or box is a suitable cross head 9, said cross head being-operable by means of the screw shaft which extends rearwar'dly from the cross head 9 the full length of the horizontal arm- 5 and which is provided at its end with a suitable hand wheel 10 positioned at the side of the furnace, said hand wheel being insulated from the shaft -10 by means of a suitable insulating" bushing 10 shown more particularly in Fig. 6 of the drawings. The shaft 10 is journaled in the upright member of the crane and in a suitable boss 11 formed integral with the transverse channel member 8. The cross head 9 is provided with a suitable screw threaded boss 12 adapted to receive the inner screw threaded end 13 of the shaft 10. Suitable collars iii are mounted on the bolt 10 atonposite ends of the boss 11 to thereby insure either an in ward or outwardniovement oi the cross head 9 when the hand wheel 1G"- is turned. Suitable gussets 15 are provided at the outer ends of the cross head 9 and the channel member substantially as shown. To these gussets 15 are pivotedby means of suitable bolts 18 a plurality of gripping bloclrs Four these it is obvious that a greater or less number may be provided, if desired. without departing from the spirit of the invention. "Each of the blocks 1?" is provided with a plurality of rearwardly extending lugs 18 through which the pivot bolts 16 extend. The aperturns 19 provided in these lugs tor the re ception of the bolts 16 are preferably of larger diameter than the diameter oi bolts in order that each of the blocks may have a substantially universal movement so till as to insure a good contact between eachof said blocks and the electrode and an effective clamping of the same in position.

It will be noted from the above that each of the blocks if? is vertically pivoted blocks are shown in the drawings but a that owing to the clearance between bolts 16 and the apertures in the lugs 18 through which said bolts extend that said blocks in addition ,to being capable of a rocking motion on a vertical axis may also rock on her;- nontnl axes. in other words, said blocks,

owing to their loose pivotal connections, have a substantially universal movement, as

above pointed out. Thusg'it will be noted that the blocks may readily adjust themselves around the surface of the electrode as Each of the gripping blocks 17 is proo vided with a water cooling chamber 20 through which a cooling medium may be circulated n order to absorb the'heat conducted to the blocks from the furnace by the electrode. These cooling chambers 20 in i the various blocks are shown connected by means oil suitable flexible pipes 231. preferably covered with asbestos in order to protecttheni from the heatof the furnace. The inlet pipe for thecoolinggmedium is illustrated at 22, the water as it passes therefrom being circulated thro h each of the blocks in successive order and then out through the" outlet 23.

Current is supplied to the electrode by 1' thus provided. These conductors 2d and 2t 1 are bolted securely fin-contact the grinping blocks 1?" at 25, the conductor 24% being bolted to the inning: blocks carried the stationa y sunoort "Z w .ne the conductor 2% is b carried by the niovablesupport or cross head 9. While boltsv are shown the purpose of holding e flexihies in position, it is obvious other 'or'ovided if desired. order to provide "font'ne award and outward movement the ning blocks which o" d to the inov able cross head 9. t e ow which conducts current tolthe electrode through blocks is preferably looped as at 26, said'loopcd goontions lying within the channel oi the trans versely disposed member 8. In this manner ample slack in the flexible is pro vided to permit of a maximum inward'rnovement of said cross head. I

1 In addition to the'flenibles securely held in contact with'the bloclr l? by means or the bolts said ice are also firmly clamped in contact therewith each time the blocks are into tripping on gngemeut electrode. 7 lie the gripping blocks of the flexibles against the blocks is efi ected by passing said fiexihles between the back of said blocks and the pivot pins 16 as clearly shown in the drawings. By virtue of the blocks being loosely pivoted, as above pointed out, they are moved closer to the pivot pins when an electrode is gripped between them. This relative movement between the several blocks and their respective pivot pins during a gripping of an electrode in place clamps-the fiexibles firmly against said blocks. Thus, if desired, the bolts 25 maybe dispensed with.

As the electrode is consumed, it is gradually fed downwardly by lowering the crane by means of the hand wheel 2 and its associated rack and pinion mechanism. When said crane has reached the downward limit of its travel, the operator, standing at one side of the furnace, grips the electrode between the top ol the furnaceand the horizontal arm 5 by means of a pair of tongs. Rotation of the other hand wheel releases the electrode permitting the crane to be elevated after which the said electrode is again gripped between the pivoted blocks or contact members. The tongs are then withdrawn after which the electrode'may be gradually fed. downwardly as before. The electrodes employed are so constructed that they may be connected end to end, whereby a new section may be secured to the top of the section in use and the elongated electrode thus formed me be gradually fed downwardly as before. Additional sections are added to the top from time to time as a result of which each electrode is completely consumed.

The contact members are so supported that they may readily adjust themselves to the contour of the electrode thereby firmly holding the same in place and insuring good electrical contact regardless of irregularities in said contour. The various operations are readily performed, by operators standing on the charging platform 27, regardless of the temperature at the top of the furnace. The manual operating means is located at a point distant from the electrode gripping means whereby the operator is not exposed unnecessarily to the heat of the furnace. 'l'zleretofore it has been dificult to renew the electrode by reason of the fact that the electrode was clamped in place by clamping means which required manipulation above the furnace and would, therefore, ex-

ose the operator to the heat oi the furnace, he blocks-17 may be readily replaced by smaller ones,-sl1ou'l,d it become necessary or desirable to grip an electrode materially smaller than the one. illustrated in the drawne s,

it is obvious that various other changes and modifications may also be made in the structure herein illustrated and described,

and the right is therefore reserved to cover such changes and modifications as fall within the scope of the appended claims.

gripping blocks pivoted to said frame, a-

plurality of gripping blocks movable within said frame and means for adjusting said Ill blocks into clamping engagement with an electrode.

2. An electrode holder of the type as scribed, comprising a. frame, a cross head slidablymounted therein, a plurality of blocks pivoted to said frame and to said cross head and means for adjusting said cross head'to brin said blocks into clamping engagement with an electrode.

3. An electrode holder of the type described, comprising a plurality of vertically pivoted gripping blocks.

4. An electrode holder of the type de scribed, comprising a plurality of vertically pivoted gripping blocks and means whereby said blocks may be adjusted into clamping engagement with an electrode from a point distant therefrom. .4

5. An electrodeholder comprising a rigid box or frame, a plurality of blocks pivoted to said frame, a cross head slidably mounted in sa d frame, a plurality of blocks pivoted to said cross head and means for adjusting said cross head to bring said blocks into clamping engagement with an electrode.

6. An electrode holder of the type described, comprising a plurality of vertically pivoted water cooled gripping blocks.

7 An electrode holder of the type described, comprising a box or frame made up of slde and end channel members, a cross headmounte'd within said frame and slidable In the channels or said side members, a plurality of gripping blocks pivoted to one of said end members, a plurality of gripping blocks pivoted to said cross head, and means ournaled in the other of said end members for moving said cross head to bring said blocks into clamping engagement with an electrode.

Mid

lllll 8 An electrode holder of the type de; sc r1bed,compr1smg a plurality of vertically tially parallel axes and forming two sets of toggle members, means" for positively moving one pair of members toward and away from the other pair to cause them to grip an electrode with a toggle action and to release the same.

26. An electrode holder comprising a-plurality of electrode Contact members, and means for causing said members to simultaneously grip the electrode, said means serving also to withdraw one of said members to insure relaxation of said grip.

27. An electrode holdercomprising a plurality of electrode contact members and means for positively moving cevtain of said members toward and away from the electrode t .cause said members to grip and release said electrode.

'28. An electrode holder for electric furnace comprising a plurality of waterjacke eted current conducting members arranged to contact directly with the electrode and means for positively withdrawing said mem bers from said electrode to release the same.

In witness whereof I hereunto subscribe my name this 15th day of September, A. D.

FREDERICK T. SNYDER. 

